Greg Knox takes over as McMaster football coach

The McMaster University Marauders announced that former Defensive Coordinator Greg Knox has been hired as the interim head football coach for the 2016 season.

This will be Knox’s first head coaching opportunity at the CIS level, after previously serving eight years on the Marauder staff.

Director of Athletics and Recreation Glen Grunwald says he believes Knox is uniquely qualified to maintain the winning culture of Marauder Football after the departure of Stefan Ptaszek, who left McMaster to join the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Knox will step into the head coach role after spending the 2015 season as the defensive backs coach with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“I’m excited to be back at McMaster and looking forward to continuing the success of the program,” said Knox.

Knox says he plans to retain the current coaching staff.

He says that includes keeping Jon Behie and Joe Sardo in their offensive and defensive coordinator roles.

Knox says he reached out to Mac Athletic Director Glen Grunwald after learning that Ptaszek was leaving the Marauders for the CFL.

A former Vanier Cup champion as a player with Wilfrid Laurier University in 1991, Knox went on to an eight-year CFL career with the Calgary Stampeders, where he was a member of two Grey Cup championship teams.

McMaster training camp opens August 14, with the 2016 OUA Football season set to kick-off on Sunday, August 28th when the Carleton Ravens make the trip to Hamilton.